Sunbittern
Eurypyga helias
Sunbittern (Eurypygidae) · Eurypygiformes (Eurypygiformes)
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Often mixed up with
In quizzes, players most often confuse Sunbittern with these birds— either this species was picked by mistake, or the other way around.
| Species | Mix-ups |
|---|---|
| Scrub Greenlet Hylophilus flavipes | 1 |
Family
The sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae (sometimes spelled Eurypigidae) and genus Eurypyga. It is found in Central and South America, and has three subspecies. The sunbittern shows both morphological and molecular similarities with the kagu (Rhynochetos jubatus) of New Caledonia, indicating a Gondwanan origin, both species being placed in the clade Eurypygiformes.
Order
Eurypygiformes is an order formed by the kagus, comprising two species in the family Rhynochetidae endemic to New Caledonia, and the sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) from the tropical regions of the Americas. Its closest relatives appear to be the tropicbirds of the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.